How to design giveaways for a handyman service
Whether you’re a one-man handyman service or you run a franchise, designing giveaways for your customers shouldn’t be painful.
The giveaways you’re looking for are often called “promotional products” or “swag.” Some contractors call them leave-behinds. But whatever you call them, if you don’t have the right message on the product, it won’t work.
If you have no graphic design skills, don’t worry. First off, we can help with that. Second, it’s the message that really needs to stand out. Make the message clear, and the design will follow.
Here are some easy tips and design ideas for handyman promotional products and giveaways.
Use your message to tell them exactly what to do
Yes, you could just put your logo, phone number, and website on the custom leave-behind.
Or you could be like Rick (below) and tell them what to do: call him! Want your customers to do that? Tell them to. Want them to schedule an appointment on your website? Give the website address and obvious instructions to do that.
People have enough to think about; when you tell them exactly what to do, you will see more action taken… meaning more business for you.
Use a custom leave-behind as a chance to educate your customers
Want to avoid calls that could have been avoided? Give them some guidance with an informational brochure.
Now, this is not meant to take the place of professional know-how. Use this as a simple troubleshooting checklist before they call.
If it’s an easy thing for the homeowner to take care of, that’s great. If they can’t fix it, at least you’ve given them a bit of knowledge that they can then pass onto you. For example: “I connected Widget A to Widget B, but then Widget C starting puttering when it should have been whirring.”
This could help save time (how much time do you spend just finding the problem?) and money for them.
But it also builds trust. If you’re willing to share your knowledge with them, they know you’re a reliable expert in your field, and they are far more likely to call on you again or refer you to their neighbors.
Go the heart-felt route and send them Christmas cards with a hand-written message
Yes, this might sound like a pain. How many customers have you seen this past year? Do you want to send a card to each of them, or just some of your regulars?
If you are the lone handyman in your business, you might have to write each and every message yourself. Have someone help with taking calls? If they’ve built rapport with your customers, have them help write some of the messages.
These messages don’t have to be long-winded. A simple “Hi, Happy Holidays!” can sometimes works. But if there’s a story to share, share it. A funny moment fixing a customer’s window? Reminisce on it.
No doubt you’ve heard about branding for your business. Well, we have some news for you: rapport with customers is part of your branding.
Need some more ideas? Let’s talk.
We are promotional products experts, and we know how to put your logo to work to get you more business, referrals, and help gain you the trust of your customers.
We have a large selection of practical, affordable logoed leave-behinds, but we can do a lot more. Whatever your branded giveaway needs, let us know. We’ll find you what your business needs.
Check out OnTheBallPromotions.com or give us a call at (800) 475-2255.
Let’s put your logo to work.
4 Unconventional Year-End Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses
Let’s face it. From Halloween until New Year’s Day, we are inundated with garish billboard advertisements, commercials filled with redundant jingles, and sale after sale after sale.
So is year-end advertising a bad idea? Quite the opposite, actually. But we think a more subtle approach can lead to better business relationships and stronger client referrals within your community.
Here are a few unobtrusive year-end marketing ideas for your small business.
1. Throw a Christmas party and don the Santa suit.
Do your clients have kids? Dress up as Santa and host a breakfast, or even an open house with cookies and small crafts for kids. Offer a photo op, and have you or one of your willing employees dress up as Santa.
What you can hand out as an event giveaway
Kids of ALL ages will remember this event. If you’re having pictures with Santa, you can hand out some inexpensive cardboard frames as unique Christmas party favors. If it’s a small party, order these blank (we require no order minimum on our blank cardboard frames).
2. Offer your services at the school Christmas pageant.
If you’re a handyman, contractor, or construction professional, offer to help build the set for the school or church Christmas play. Run a catering company? Help provide snacks for after the show.
Even if you don’t have a skillset that is directly related to producing a school play, your services could be of help, and your business will likely get a free ad placed in the playbill or school newsletter.
What you can hand out as an event giveaway
If there is no playbill or newsletter, consider handing out branded calendars at the event as an easy way to get your name out there. Not sure if promo calendars are effective? Let us convince you why logo calendars are practical advertising investments.
3. Send thank you cards, not Christmas cards.
Religious affiliation and political correctness aside, saying “thank you” instead of “Merry Christmas” could give your customers a more favorable opinion of you over your competitors.
But why send a thank you card in place of a Christmas card from your business?
By sending cards that say “thank you for your business” or “we appreciate your loyalty,” you’re doing more than just pushing a sentiment at them; you’re telling them something genuine. By saying thanks, you’re encouraging your audience to keep doing business with your small business. And we all know how important it is to work with small businesses.
Now, we’re not saying that you should say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays.” Saying those things is a great idea.
Consider this instead: send a thank you card near year’s end, thanking them for their business this past year. If you want to say Merry Christmas, Season’s Greetings, or Happy Hanukkah, write it with your personal handwritten message.
4. Blog about cookies or share your creations on social media.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a realtor, a plumber, a freelance designer, or a financial advisor. Just about everyone loves cookies, and people go gaga over Christmas cookie recipes.
Share your favorite recipe, or even a few recipes from your staff members. While this sort of blog or social media post might not be directly related to your industry, it’s a light-hearted subject, and it adds a nice “human element” to any business blog. Don’t have a blog? Send it in an email.
Further your reach by sending completely custom Christmas cards, complete with your cookie recipe (can’t choose just one recipe? Print a tri-fold calendar card for even more cookie recipe-sharing goodness).
We’re here for your year-end marketing needs.
Need some help choosing the best promotional item for your year-end customer giveaways? On The Ball Promotions is here to help. Browse our selection of custom branded items, or call our customer service team at (800) 475-2255.
Quick Tips to Save Money on Promotional Products
Ordering promotional products is an investment for your business, and it’s one you should take seriously.
Want to save money on your promotional products?
We’ve provided you with five easy tips on how to save money on your personalized promotional products. You want to get the most out of your investment, and we want to see your promotion succeed.
Read these quick tips to see how easy it is to save money on custom promo products from On The Ball Promotions.
1. Split the cost with another business, aka Co-Branding
They say sharing is caring, but sharing can also save your business some advertising expenses.
Your first thought might be that sharing ad space with another business or organization will take away from your ad’s impact, but that’s far from the truth.
You simply need to advertise with a business that complements yours, or one that is so entirely different that you would lose no customers in sharing the ad space.
Here are some promo item co-branding we’ve seen:
- Small town/neighborhood businesses: grocery store and mechanic (Sound weird? Trust us, it works! They are different industries, and both services are necessities to those separate audiences.)
- Funeral Home and Flower Shop
- Restaurant and Theater or Art Center
- Tax Attorney and Marketing Firm – great for marketing to local business owners
- Book Store and Coffee Shop
- Choose your profession and partner up accordingly: HVAC, plumber, electrician, carpenter, painter
How realtors use co-branding to save money on presentation folders
Realtors often use co-branding on their pocket folders, but they take it to a different level. Instead of splitting ad space straight down the middle, the realtor is the main advertiser on the pocket folder.
Rather than co-branding, they sell advertising spaces, much like the ads you see in a theater playbill. By selling advertising spaces, they are often able to completely cover the cost of their pocket folders.
So how can realtors sell ad space on their presentation folders without hurting their brand image?
Much like two businesses who participate in a co-branding initiative, realtors only choose advertisers who relate to—but con’t compete with—their business.
Here are some businesses realtors sell ad space to on their pocket folders:
- Mortgage brokers
- Insurance agents
- HVAC professionals
- Plumbers
- Electricians
- Landscaping companies
- Grocery stores
- Restaurants
2. Non-profits, churches, and fundraisers: Use sponsors or donors
This is a great way to provide donors with more brand visibility. To help offset the cost of purchasing promo giveaways, let sponsors help pay for those items.
Here’s how to save money on branded event giveaways with sponsors:
Offer ad space on your calendar, photo frame, or presentation folder to help offset to the cost of purchasing these logo items. You win because that’s money that you don’t have to take out of your marketing budget, and your donors or sponsors win because their brand is seen by a larger audience.
Here are some ways we’ve seen sponsor logos work
- Golf charity tournaments. Many golf events have different sponsorship levels. Include this option in the highest sponsorship level, since their logo and branding will be taken home with the event attendees, making a longer-lasting impression than just sponsoring a hole.
- School events. This is popular with sports events and music or theater productions. Sometimes those advertising print ads are sold to businesses, or sometimes they are added because that sponsor gave something to the organization or event (either service, hard goods, or a monetary donation).
- Non-profits. If a non-profit group is advertising for an event, they will often include sponsor logos on event invitations. They do this because those sponsors have typically donated a large sum to appear in that position.
3. For long-term products, buy in bulk
This is perfect for non-dated items like cardboard frames with just your business logo, logo note cards with your company logo, or custom printed gift card holders.
We offer upfront, bulk discount pricing, so order more and save. As long as the message will stay the same, we say stock up.
Here are some tips for buying branded giveaways in bulk:
- Don’t add a date. Once you add a date (like an event date), once that date has passed, those leftover bulk branded giveaways are mostly worthless. Buy promo items with just your logo or just the event name so that you can use these giveaways for multiple events and purposes throughout the year—and also use them for years to come.
- Stock up on multi-purpose items. Pocket folders with your logo can be used for press release kits, employee welcome folders, board member meetings, or general staff use. Logo note cards can be used for birthday greeting cards, employee anniversary cards, business thank you cards, or even as your company Christmas cards. Buy something that can be used by everyone to further your branding reach.
4. Email sign-up for special promotions
Retailers and e-commerce websites alike often have email lists that provide product info, tips, and, yes, money-saving promotions.
We’ll be honest, we’re no different.
Our email newsletter contains helpful product info, like product use case studies, effective ad design tips, and special offers. Don’t worry, we’ll never share or sell your email address. Sign up for the On The Ball Promotions newsletter.
We’re here to help you save money on promotional items.
We work with a variety of businesses and organizations every day, each one with a different budget. We’re here to make sure you get the most of out your marketing budget.
Need some help finding the best promotional giveaway to fit your ad budget? Shop OnTheBallPromotions.com, send us an email, or call us at (800) 475-2255.
Why we don’t do “cool” promotional items
Consider this a brief study on why practicality always wins.
On The Ball Promotions (that’s us) is a small business, and we’re devoted to helping business owners and event planners like you find the best promotional items for your business.
We help you choose a product that will stick within your budget and advertise your brand in the most effective way. It’s all about ROI, right? Right.
Which is why “cool” often falls short.
“Cool” promotional items often generate buzz immediately after an event, but like fast fashion, their purpose is all-too-often short lived.
Instead, we focus on practical promotional giveaways because they have proven, time and time again, that their advertising impact lasts.
Are billboard ads and promotional calendars cool?
If a business decides to place a billboard next to a busy expressway, do they leave it up for a week or a year? Billboard ads are an old idea, but they’re still around for a reason: they are a constant brand reminder.
We’re in the suburbs of Chicago; millions of people see billboard ads on their way to work each day. Yet no one looks at a billboard ad and says “COOL!” No, they look at it, and the branding sticks with them.
The same idea applies to promotional calendars. Since they come with a full-year’s calendar pad, people hang onto them for that full year, giving your business constant, repeated brand exposure.
We’ve talked about how effective promotional calendars are, and we really mean it. You can add a really creative, eye-catching brand design to a calendar, but rarely is a calendar thought of as a “cool” promo item. They are practical, but practicality wins.
Because let’s face it, a fidget spinner won’t be as helpful as a reception desk reference calendar.
Does the cool promo giveaway reflect your brand?
Also, is it the best giveaway for your audience? When buying promo items online, sometimes we forget about our advertising ROI and get caught up with what’s hot in the marketing giveaway world (fidget spinners, anyone? That’s so 2017).
Remember, these are your hard-earned dollars you’re spending. We want you to get the biggest impact for the best value.
We’re not saying that your fifth-generation furniture restoration business can’t have a little fun with your branding. But what fits your brand image more, a single-use plastic cup, or a reference calendar that lasts all year?
We get it. With online shopping and cheap prices from overseas production (we work with American manufacturers), it’s easy to get caught up in the fast, the cheap, and the “cool.”
But when you buy cheap cool promo items, what are you really getting?
You’re getting something that was made with little more thought than, Well, this should hold their attention for a little while. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a small business owner, or manage a chain of restaurants, your brand deserves better.
Don’t settle for products that pop and fizzle. Choose something like a presentation folder for meeting new clients, or table tents to display in all of your branch locations.
If you want your brand’s image to be one of reputability and timelessness, choose promo items that reflect those qualities.
Short term clutter vs. long term brand visibility
The thing with cheap promo giveaways (let’s just call them “tchotchkes”) is that they can come across as a desperate way to catch your customers’ attention. Often, they just add clutter to desks or counters, and end up in the garbage after a very limited number of impressions.
Let’s look at calendars. These things last. According to a 2016 study by the Advertising Specialty Institute, customers do hang onto promotional calendars for the full 12 months, and 76% of branded promotional calendar recipients display them prominently in their home or office.
So what does a study on calendars have to do with your brand?
If your brand is one that values lasting customer relationships, and you build your business on referrals, things like calendars matter. Not only are you giving your audience a practical item for their home or office, you are giving them something that advertises a product or service they will likely use again or use in the future.
What is the product’s true purpose?
We put the focus on your brand, using the calendar, notepad, or folder as a vehicle for your brand’s message. Those “cool” promotional items? The focus is on the product first, your brand second.
Ask yourself this: what matters more, the promotional item or my brand?
We think we know your answer, and we’re here to help.
Browse our selection of practical promotional giveaways at OnTheBallPromotions.com, or call our customer service team at (800) 475-2255. We’ll help you choose a promo item that really reflects your brand.
How to design effective bilingual logo products
Many business owners have an audience who speaks just one language: English.
When it’s time to order promotional products, it’s easy. Just design it and you’re done. But what if you have a multilingual market? Bilingual logo products are easy to design, and we’re here to show you how to do it.
Being residents of the Chicago suburbs, we understand why advertising to a polylingual audience is so important.
Bilingual speakers are commonplace in Chicago and the surrounding area. While English is the dominating language, Spanish is the most common language behind that. Depending on what suburb or neighborhood you’re in, you could also hear Polish, Indic, Russian, Mandarin, Cantonese, and more. Seeing advertisements in two or more languages is the norm.
But you didn’t come here for a lesson in Chicagoland linguistics. You came here with a marketing predicament. How do you design multilingual promotional giveaways for your business? It’s easier than you might think.
Here are four easy tips for designing effective bilingual logo products.
Tip #1: Choose a double-sided product
It’s easy: put one language on one side, the other language on the other. And there are a lot of promo giveaways that work perfectly for this.
Great for service professionals, local businesses, and hotels, the 2004 Door Hanger from On The Ball Promotions can be printed front and back, making it a perfect bilingual printed advertisement for your market.
Another great use for door hangers is for city services or public works. If the water department needs to leave notices on homeowners’ doors in a bilingual neighborhood, this is the perfect solution. No guessing on what notice to leave on the door. One bilingual logo product covers your needs—and audience.
Restaurants, bars, and cafés can promote drink and dinner specials or upcoming events with a double-sided table tent. The above example shows the menu in English on one side and in Spanish on the other side.
Need to promote a cause? The Wave Table Tent has a unique shape, and you can put the same message on both sides, but in different languages.
Tip #2: Choose a giveaway with large ad space
Have a lot of selling points or information you want to fit on your multilingual giveaway? You’ll want something big.
Here, a tri-fiold calendar card was used as a reminder to register for school. Instructions were given in both English and Spanish.
A health care system wanted to promote their website for appointment scheduling and visit overviews. Since they are located in an urban area that boasts a large bilingual audience, they chose the extra large 10-½” x 14″ daily date to pass out to all their providers as an office reference calendar.
Tip #3: Tell them what languages you speak
We see this a lot on advertisements, flyers, promotional giveaways, and on TV. The ad is entirely in English, but there is a line or two in there that say “Se habla Español” or “Mowimy po Polsku” (in case you are stuck, those say “Spanish speaking” and “We speak in Polish,” respectively).
Tip #4: Keep it simple
Sometimes, less is more, especially when you’re trying to fit two messages into one ad space. Sometimes branding is the only language you need to speak.
Hosting a community event in a bilingual area, or throwing a customer appreciation event? Take photos of guests and hand out cardboard picture frames with nothing but your logo.
Let’s make your bilingual logo products
Need some Spanish promotional products, or perhaps some Polish promo giveaways? We can help. Check out our entire product line at OnTheBallPromotions.com. Don’t see what you need? Help is just a phone call away. Reach us at (800) 475-2255.
What is Branding?
Just when you thought you had advertising figured out, along comes marketing. And just when you figured out marketing, along came branding. But what is branding?
In its most basic definition, “brand” refers to a mark designating ownership. Think livestock branding on a large ranch. The animals are branded so that ranchers know who they belong to.
That being said, branding within the realm of marketing is very similar in that it provides an easy-to-identify mark that consumers use to associate your product or service with your company.
But this is marketing we’re talking about, so there is more to it than a mark on your product.
So what is branding?
Branding is the perceived image of your company and its product or service.
Sounds easy, right? Right. But let’s back up a few steps and go over some individual points and ideas that make your brand, well, your brand.
Branding is your logo.
Just like ranchers brand their animals to designate ownership, your logo designates ownership of your product or service. It plays such a significant role in your brand because it’s the thing consumers look for on store shelves, on signs, or online.
The logo might not be your entire brand, but the color, font, and shape of your logo all play a role in defining your brand. Not sure where to start with your logo? Read through these 5 easy logo design tips. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a designer to understand what makes a good logo.
But remember, the most important thing about your logo—and unfortunately all-too-often overlooked—is consistency. Using the same logo across all mediums gives your brand a more professional image, and helps consumers more easily recognize you.
Branding is your tone of voice.
Tone of voice is how you write on your website, blog, social media channels, emails, and in print media.
If you speak to your audience in a relaxed, easy-going tone, that paints a picture that your company is casual. If you speak in a very formal tone, with no playful or colorful expressions, your company will be perceived as structured, formal, and very professional.
Whether it’s the receptionist, the marketing team, or the CEO, make sure everyone understands your brand’s tone of voice—and follows it.
Branding is the imagery you use.
Whether you have an e-commerce jewelry store or a website for your construction company, the images you put online and in print will reflect your company’s image.
If time and budget permit, hire a professional photographer. Have them photograph some products, both studio-style (white background) and contextual (showing the product in use). Those photos will come in very handy for your website, email marketing, print marketing materials, and social media.
If you face budget constraints, read some intro books on photography, watch some videos, or peruse the countless articles online about photography 101. It won’t make you a pro, but you’ll learn enough to make your photos better than the average amateur.
But remember, sometimes a simple snap on your phone is all it takes. A landscaping company can take pictures of their crew installing a new landscape design and post to social media for immediate brand interaction.
Which takes us to the next point:
Branding is how you interact with your customers.
Yes, really. In fact, your interactions—whether they’re in-person, via email, or over the phone—play a huge role in your company’s branding. This is also the point where some businesses lose branding momentum because of lackluster communication or poor customer service.
Let’s look at a scenario where a contractor is going to a potential client’s house.
If you walk into a meeting or go to a bid job and you are prepared and confident, that is a strong reflection on your brand. It shows that you are reliable.
If, however, you arrive and start talking about you were almost late because you had to wait in a long line for lunch, and then had to take a detour because of construction… well, those are just excuses, and they reflect poorly on your brand. Even if you have the best logo design in your industry and a consistent tone of voice, a poor impression with customers or clients is a poor reflection on your brand.
And don’t forget about first impressions. Receptionists might not always get the credit they deserve, but they are the primary contact for customers calling your business. Though their only line might be, “Good morning, Frank’s Auto Supply, how may I direct your call?” it’s amazing the effect that little line can have on a caller. So do yourself a favor and hire a receptionist with a pleasant demeanor, who can handle whatever type of personality calls in. Because the first impression is a lasting impression.
Want to chat with our nice receptionist and easy-going sales team about promotional products? Give us a call at (800) 475-2255.
Branding is your product selection.
This isn’t a quantity vs. quality argument, but rather an idea that what you offer will affect how your customers view your brand. Stay focused with the products or services you offer—and why you’re offering those.
How do I enforce my company’s branding?
Write a brand book! In it, include specific directions for the following brand components:
- Colors
- Fonts
- Proper and improper logo usage – include specifics for social media platforms, if necessary
- Image use criteria
- Tone of voice guidelines
Check out this collection of brand books for inspiration.
Branding doesn’t have to be complex. For many small business owners, their branding comes naturally. Others have to really sit and think, and that’s ok. Your brand is how your audience perceives your business, so take the time to create a brand that really reflects how you see your business.
We’re On The Ball Promotions, and we can help you enforce your branding with promotional products. Find the best branded giveaways for your business at OnTheBallPromotions.com.
10 Easy Marketing Ideas for your HVAC Business
You’re out and about, all over town every day. That doesn’t leave you a lot of extra time to promote your business—or even think about promoting your business.
Or maybe you’re asking yourself, How do I market my HVAC business?
We understand.
So we’ve compiled a list of simple tips to help kick-start your marketing campaign to grow your current customer base.
Most of these easy HVAC marketing ideas are free, and can easily be implemented into your daily routine.
Ready? Here we go.
1. Wear your HVAC company shirt to the grocery store on the weekends.
You’re going to see a lot of local homeowners there, so go ahead, wear your company shirt with pride while perusing the produce section.
Why this works
You’ve turned yourself into a walking billboard for your business.
2. Post homeowner tips on Facebook, Instagram, or even TikTok.
We know, we know. Everyone has been saying it for years.
And yet, we’re here to say it again: social media can increase awareness of your company, services, and expertise.
Post small tidbits of information, like when to replace the air filter in their furnace. Pepper your social media feed with issues to look out for so they know when to call you.
If someone adds a nice review, share it with your audience to help increase consumer trust.
Why this works
This works for two great reasons:
First, by posting on social media, you’re keeping in regular contact with your customers and target audience.
Second, providing homeowner tips and simple HVAC advise is like providing a layer of transparency in your business. You aren’t keeping all that information to yourself; you’re readily sharing it with whoever may visit your page.
3. Send off-season reminders—and coupons.
Send a Christmas card (personally signed by you!) with a coupon for early bird AC checkup.
Just be sure to include an expiration date and a coupon code specific to this offer so you can track the response rate.
Why this works
How many Christmas cards did you receive last year? Nowadays, Christmas cards stand out.
4. Work the concession stand at high school games.
Talk to someone on the athletic booster club committee to see if you help keep those fans fed and hydrated.
By working the concession stand, you’ll get to meet a lot of local homeowners—and business owners. Offer to help out the booster club at a few home football or basketball games. Just be sure to wear your business shirt or hat.
Why this works
An event like this gives you the chance to connect with a lot of homeowners in your area. They are likely to form a favorable impression of you if you’re helping out at a school event.
5. Get in with Google
There is a fantastic FREE service from Google that allows you to manage a Business Profile/a>.
Just enter your business name, website, phone, and hours to appear on Google search results pages and on Google Maps. You can even add pictures, answer questions, plus customers can review your business (you can respond to those reviews).
If you do customer follow-up—like emails, postcards, or even just the invoice—add a little note or even a QR code with a link for them to review your business.
After you’ve earned a few reviews (from Google, Yelp, or your Facebook page), add those to your website, or include one in emails you send to customers.
Not sure where to start? Watch the short video below from Google Small Business and see how easy it is to get your business listed.
Why this works
This works because a majority of U.S. internet users search with Google—and they trust the information Google gives them, including local business recommendations.
6. Park your truck or van in the driveway instead of the garage.
We see this everywhere around us, in the suburbs and the small towns: small, one-man HVAC businesses where the owner just parks their van or truck in the drive.
This is HVAC marketing at its easiest.
Perhaps they’re just parking outside because their garage is packed. But because their van or truck is outside—that’s just like a billboard ad.
Parking your work vehicle in your drive or on the street is simple, easy, local advertising.
Why this works
Unless you live at the end of a dead-end street, a lot of people are going to walk or drive past your house and your billboard, er, HVAC business van.
7. Small talk can really pay off.
If you played football for the local high school and see the homeowner’s son also plays football for your alma mater, talk about it.
If they have a rowdy Border Collie and you have one too, talk about it.
The quality of your work is the most important aspect in building trust.
But it’s those small, personal connections that help build rapport with homeowners. It’s that trust and rapport that can lead to word-of-mouth referrals for your HVAC business.
Why this works
Consumers trust business owners who aren’t afraid to show their human side.
8. Join your local chamber of commerce
This is not a direct marketing campaign to your customers, but it adds value to your business’ name and garners trust.
After you join the chamber of commerce, announce your membership on your website, on your Facebook page, or put it on your promotional calendars; put it everywhere.
Why this works
Consumers are more likely to trust a business that is a chamber of commerce member than one who is not, because it shows loyalty to the community. In fact, a research study showed that consumer favorability increased almost 45% for businesses who joined their local chamber of commerce.
9. Leave a small giveaway at every visit.
One of the easiest things you can do is leave a small giveaway with customers at each visit.
Fixing a furnace? Place a small mini sticky calendar on the furnace so they know who to call if problems arise. That mini calendar acts just like a business card for your HVAC business, but since it’s stuck in place, it won’t get lost.
Why this works
While we may not look at our furnace every day, we check it often enough to see your company logo and business branding again and again and again and… well, you get the idea. Trust us, promotional calendars work.
10. Smile when you say hello.
Ok, so this one is more a reminder of professional etiquette, but it really does have to do with your business’ image. And it has to do with trust.
The homeowner opens the door to a cheerful “hello!” and already you’ve set a nice, friendly image for yourself. If, however, they open the door and you say, “Hi, I’m Bill. Where’s the furnace?… well, you might get the job done as well as the friendly hello guy, but you’ve set a different tone for the customer.
Why this works
First impressions can really help give you a boost. A friendly first impression puts the homeowner at ease, and a friendly HVAC professional is likely to get more referrals from happy homeowners.
So there you have it. Ten really simple, budget-friendly, actionable HVAC marketing ideas that you can easily implement into your everyday routine.
Some of them take very little time and effort, but can have a great impact on how you are perceived by your customers.
Remember, your marketing is what you make of it.
Need some help getting your promotion started?
We can help. We’re promotional products experts, and we work with small business owners like you every day. We can help fulfill your logo giveaway needs. Call us at (800) 475-2255 or send us an email.
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